What is something that you have had to wait for in your life? Or maybe there is something right now that you are waiting for? Is there something you are asking God to do and are waiting for Him to answer? Are you praying for someone you know to become a Christian and waiting for it to happen? Are you praying for God to heal someone you love and waiting for God to answer? Waiting is not always easy or fun, but if we believe that God hears and answers our prayers, we have faith that He will answer. Sometimes His answer is yes, no or wait. The answer wait sometimes takes a few days, months or years, but God will always answer in His own timing. Today we will focus on Simeon and Anna, found in Luke 2:25-38 and see how they waited on God for His promise of a Savior.
Long before Jesus came to earth as a baby, God gave Moses laws for people to obey. One of the laws was that any family who had a firstborn son had to take that son and have him dedicated at the temple.
In Luke 2, we see Mary and Joseph obey God’s law. They began their travel from Bethlehem to Jerusalem so that the Son of God could be dedicated to the Lord.
Meanwhile, a Godly man named Simeon was in Jerusalem waiting on the Promised Christ. Simeon had the gift of the Holy Spirit before Jesus died on the cross and rose again. Earlier in his life God told Simeon that he would not die until he had seen Jesus with his own eyes.
At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Luke 2:25&26
We have no idea how old Simeon was or how long he had to wait for the day that God would fulfill His promise. Simeon never gave up hope that the promise of seeing the Messiah would be fulfilled. Every day of his life as he worshiped and served God he kept his eyes open for God’s promised Savior. He believed that God would do what He said.
One day the Holy Spirit told Simeon to go to the temple. Simeon listened and did as he had been instructed. When he arrived at the temple he saw a young woman holding a baby with her husband by her side. God’s Spirit told Simeon that this baby was the Promised Savior. Immediately, Simeon went to Mary and reached out so that he could hold the baby. As he held him in his arms he began to praise the Lord.
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Luke 2:29-32
As Simeon was praising God and blessing Mary and Joseph there was another person in the temple, her name was Anna. Anna was a widow, her husband had died after they had been married for 7 years. After her husband died she began serving God full-time in the temple. She was now 84 years old and was known to all as a prophetess. She spent her days in the temple fasting and praying. Anna had a very close relationship with the Lord and she knew that God had promised a Savior. As she heard Simeon’s praises she walked over to him to see what was going on.
Anna saw the Child and immediately thanked the Lord for sending the Savior who was going to take away the sins of the world. She then spread the news of the Savior to all who were looking for Him.
Both Simeon and Anna saw and believed that Jesus was God’s promised Savior. They chose to praise and thank God for allowing them to see His Promise come true. The both waited for this promise, we don’t know exactly how long they waited, but it sounds like they waited many years and never gave up hope.
What promise are you waiting for? Have you given up hope that God will answer? Simeon and Anna are examples of two Godly saints. They waited for what God had promised and then proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah.
Just as Simeon and Anna were waiting for the promise of the Savior, we today are waiting for His Second Coming. The day Jesus returns in great power and great glory. We are waiting for this promise to come true. How are we going to wait for this promise? Are we living each day learning more about God by studying and reading our Bibles? Are we praying for our friends and family that don’t believe in Jesus? Are we living a life that is pleasing to God? We need to wait just as Simeon and Anna did believing everyday that today might be the day we see the promise fulfilled.